Look: How London is preparing for King Charles's coronation as tourists arrive

Online searches for lodges and stays in London have spiked following the announcement of dates for Britain's first coronation in 70 years as many people decide to throng London to watch the royal affair. However, not everyone is as excited because the city is expected to remain largely packed, The New York Times reported. Above: Oxford Street is decorated with British flags, ahead of the Coronation in London.

Flags and royal emblems adorn the streets of London as the city prepares to celebrate coronation with considerable pomp and spectacle. The three-day celebration will include a royal procession through central London, a celebrity-studded performance at Windsor Castle, a national holiday on May 8, and street festivities around the country. Above: People walk beneath flags of the Union and Commonwealth along The Mall, towards Buckingham Palace, in central London.

An avid British history buff, Robin Higgins, knew beforehand that she wanted to attend the coronation of King Charles III, even before the announcements of the dates for the event on May 6. She said that she was interested in the royal family since she was a teenager and had watched the 1981 wedding of the then Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, as per The New York Times.

58-year-old Higgins Horwitz, who will travel from Skokie to London, said, "How many times does it happen in one's lifetime that you get see a coronation?""It's history in the making." She added. Above: Admiralty Arch is decorated with Coronation banners ahead of the Coronation.

58-year-old Higgins Horwitz, who will travel from Skokie to London, said, "How many times does it happen in one's lifetime that you get see a coronation?""It's history in the making." She added. Above: People walk past a souvenir kiosk selling Coronation themed items at Piccadilly Circus, ahead of the Coronation.

US visitors, Britain's largest inbound market, are likely to drive next week's surge in arrivals. According to VisitBritain, flight bookings from the United States to Britain are about 10 per cent higher in May as compared to May 2019. Above: Media preparations are underway on The Mall, in central London.

Hooper, the booking app, said that they are also more expensive - round-trip airfares from the United States to London over coronation weekend averaged USD 733 in April, 21 per cent higher than a year earlier, according to The New York Times. Above: Royal fan John Loughrey and Sky London talk to members of the media, as they stand near Buckingham Palace.

According to the company, after the coronation dates were announced, searches for Airbnb rentals in London during the coronation weekend increased. US travellers were among the top guests in London around the coronation dates, along with travellers from Britain, France, Australia, and Germany. Above: Themed merchandise is displayed in a souvenir shop ahead of the coronation.

By late March, hotel bookings on the booking platform Expedia in London were 60 per cent higher for coronation weekend than at the same time last year. According to Hopper, by mid-April, accommodations were averaging around USD 350 per night. Above: A worker paints railings in preparation of the Coronation outside of Westminster Abbey in London.

But not all travellers heading towards London to attend the coronation were excited. Laura Aveidi, a Houston-based youth fitness instructor, was upset to learn that her family holiday to London, which she scheduled last July, coincided with the festivities. She said, "The city is going to be packed and it's not ideal," adding, "It really doesn't interest us." Above: Workers transport the 17th century State Coach used by Speakers for ceremonial occasions to be on display at the Palace of Westminster to commemorate the coronation.

Even some royal enthusiasts who attended the Platinum Jubilee are staying at home, which could be attributed to Charles being less popular than his mother, Queen Elizabeth. "They just don't have the interest this year," said Ralph Iantosca, a travel agent based in Texas who has only one customer coming to London that weekend. "Those who were interested don't want crowds." Above: A member of the Royal Household works on the Chair of Estate for Britain's King Charles III at Frogmore Workshops in Windsor ahead of the coronation.

For those who travel a significant distance to attend the coronation, it is not only a celebration of Charles' crowning, but also a means to reconnect with their heritage. Above: A King Charles souvenir flag hangs outside a shop ahead of the Coronation.

Paul Dabrowa, the creator of a biotech company who lives in Melbourne, Australia, said that attending the coronation is a chance for him to honour his own family heritage, The New York Times reported. Above: People walk under Coronation decorations inside the Burlington Arcade.